Under Ordinary Circumstances
by theponderer4675
Summary: Under ordinary circumstances, she would have never fallen for him. She was the dutiful princess who had never fallen in love, determined to prevent war if it meant ensnaring the heart of a king who loved no one. He was the player who was in love with power, desperate to get his kingdom back. And amidst all their differences, they might just be able to do the impossible.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One-Piper

I KNEW I WAS AS GOOD AS DEAD when my eldest handmaiden Silena appeared at my door. Her beautiful face, creamy and ageless despite the years, was creased with worry as she paced the Persian carpet. Her bright blue eyes were frantically darting from one chandelier to another, never meeting mine. My initial happiness at seeing her faded as I studied her face.

We were always as close as sisters, but as I reached my teens, Silena's familiar face failed to appear, replaced by different handmaidens whose existence was to see to every need I could possibly have. I later heard she became promoted by my mother, Queen Aphrodite, to serve as the head of the attendants' quarters. Now my old friend only visited me personally when something was wrong-VERY wrong.

For days the inhabitants of Queen Aphrodite's palace walked briskly, their faces clouded with worry enough to let me know something was going on. Asking those close to me did little. Lacy and Mitchell-my new attendants and half-siblings-were too flustered for me to coax any information out of them. My mother was away, visiting a faraway kingdom on what she called a "matter of urgent diplomacy to be made". Which kingdom? My mother had kept mum about that, no pun intended. My best friend Annabeth was stricken by flu, unable to write to me. In short, I wasn't in the best mood.

My mother….was she back from her trip?

"Silena," I spoke, "has my mother summoned me? Is she back from visiting that kingdom?"

"It is good to see you, Piper-clever as always," Silena replied. "Yes, she is back, and she has summoned you. There is"-she grimaced-"news for you to hear."

Her tone made it clear that I was not going to be thrilled by the news. Sighing, I took a deep breath in the uneasy silence. A moment passed, and I again looked up at my long-time confidante's face.

"Alright Silena, I'm ready."

If there was bad news, my mother's face didn't show it. She was as beautiful as always, her golden-brown locks tumbling over her shoulders in glossy waves. Her azure eyes gleamed in the sunlight streaming in from the far-east window. She stood and stretched, consciously admiring her statuesque frame. Her smile was dazzling enough to melt an ice statue.

I waited impatiently as Aphrodite cheerfully held an ornate hand mirror, seeming to forget she was the only one in the room. After five minutes of waiting, I couldn't stand it. Ignoring the warning look Silena sent me, I stepped closer to my mother's throne.

"Mother?"

Aphrodite's head popped up from the mirror she was holding, looking startled. She instantly gave us a dazzling smile.

"Piper! I missed you so much, darling. I have some new gowns for you to try out. And you are far too pale, my girl. A facial may be in ord-" she stopped as I glared exasperatedly at her.

"Mother! You have news for me, don't you?" I interrupted exasperatedly. I loved my mother to death but I couldn't stand hearing one more word about fashion or beauty when Silena's uneasy face still shone in my memory. I needed to know what was wrong.

Aphrodite nodded, her cheerful smile fading. "Yes, Piper. The gowns were actually related to that but we do have problems at hand, which the trip has made very clear to me now. Sit down."

"I'm fine standing, really-"

" _Sit down_." I sat uneasily, very aware of the unusual pain lacing my mother's sweet voice.

"There." Aphrodite's face relaxed, but her eyes shone with the worry I had been seeing all week. "Piper, you know the feud between our kingdom and King Jupiter's."

"Yes," I responded quietly. It was a stupid feud, in my opinion-I mean, really, who refuses to associate with a kingdom just because of a dispute over whether Aphrodite was more beautiful than Jupiter's wife, Juno?-but over the years their relations had become even more bitter as each committed crimes against the other alternately. "Are we at war?"

"Not yet, for new circumstances have risen. Jupiter has abdicated his throne in favor of his son, Jason-a rather cunning lad if I must admit. They share similar mentalities, but many say Jason is not as ruthless as his father." Aphrodite paused for measure, folding her hands across her lap.

" _Not as ruthless_?"

"My dear, his kingdom has closed all communications with ours and Jason, from what I've heard from my spies, is not very fond of getting close to others. You may find out what he's like from others once you go."

My blood chilled. I stared at my mother, comprehending the deeper meaning of her words.

"You don't mean to say that I'm to visit him? My diplomacy skills are inexistent." I knew perfectly well that she meant just that.

"No, Piper, actually….it's more complicated than that. Jupiter has agreed to hold peace between our kingdoms in exchange for a condition. He is holding a…what would you say, contest…..for the hand of his son Jason in marriage."

Jason. I wracked my mind, trying to remember a conversation I heard with my best friends Annabeth and Leo when we were 15.

 _Great guy, Beauty Queen!_ Leo had laughingly told me. _We're amazing when it comes to fetching girls._

Annabeth had then glared at him, flashing her stormy gray eyes in a classic death glare (which I later picked up). _Shut up Fire Boy, that guy doesn't even say hello when I walk past. And he is so prideful! He's a narcissist and he just…..agh why are we talking about him?_

 _Because Beauty Queen asked!_ Leo shot back, not flinching from the look she was giving him. _And gods, Annabeth, he isn't that bad, just…..kind of… haughty._

 _You're right, he's not that bad, he's worse!_ Annabeth huffed. I nearly smiled at the memory, if it wasn't for the current situation. I instead glared at the wall with all my might.

This was just sounding better and better.

"And I'm a contestant." The bitterness in my voice was sharper than I had intended it to be.

"Piper, he is still fully capable of waging war against us. And he will not listen to any other deals. No negotiations besides that. I had even brought Will along to brainstorm negotiations he could agree to but no avail. It is either this or immediate war. And don't forget that the kingdom of the princess who wins his hand will fight alongside theirs. He picked princesses from VERY powerful kingdoms."

My eyes grew wide. "You just mentioned that! How many other princesses?"

"Two others. And both are formidable opponents."

"Any chance you can tell me who they are?"

Aphrodite's eyes sparkled. "Oh, I think you'll figure out their identities soon enough. You are a smart one, Piper. I can't see into the future, but something tells me that this won't be as bad as you think."

What I want is to stay here, I wanted to say. But that would only sound stupid and selfish. I knew that princesses were meant to be married off to other kingdoms in the name of peace. It was rare that one could stay unmarried and rule alone, like I wanted to do. We sat in the silence for a few moments. I felt stupid for expecting something different, for expecting that my mother would actually bail me out of this one.

"Look, Piper," my mother finally spoke, "you have your weapons, and you wield them well. But you shouldn't only be thinking of power. This could be a chance for something more. Something you need more than you think."

Love. Right. Right now, I didn't want to think about it. No way in Hades did I want to think about it. Even though I was the daughter of one of the few queens who married for love and still believed in it despite everything that happened to her, I never even thought of the possibility of falling in love myself. I spent my childhood shooting arrows and learning the policies of the state. Swordplay. Diplomacy. I have never truly been in love.

However, one would be pitifully mistaken to think that I didn't believe in love. My friends pegged me as their matchmaker, counsellor, and "person most likely to be in love but just doesn't admit it". I tried to stop myself from rolling my eyes at the name.

"I don't think that's possible, Mom," I whispered, a tear running down my cheek. "This is business."

My mother sighed, raking her hand through her golden-brown strands. "I suppose you're right. Don't lose hope though, my dear Piper."

I nodded mutely. "How does this competition even work anyway? Do I have to complete a series of extra-tough labors hand-picked for me or something along those lines?"

"Jupiter has instructed me that he, and only he, is to say that. I'm sorry, darling." I huffed.

"Ugh," I muttered. I stared at the marble floor, cursing my luck ten times over. But it never did me any good in the past, and it sure as hell wouldn't do me any good now.

Silena stepped in after a long pause in the conversation, her face swept clean of emotion. "Piper, dear, I believe it is time for you to get dressed. You leave in an hour."

Getting dressed was even harder than the conversation I just had with my mother. I didn't like that Silena-who was the one person who didn't get mad at me when I was underdressed-was in charge of my makeover, and the fact that it was to please some king who I was competing for didn't make me like it any more either.

I stared at the mirror at my mahogany dressing table as Lacy and two different attendants named Emily and Katie stormed my closet in search for something "proper enough" for the Royal Highness of Haughtiness. I sat miserably as Lacy and Katie began to argue about underdresses and collars.

Silena walked in just then, having sorted out an "argument" (translate-brawl) between two couriers outside. She looked as tired as me.

"Hey Sil," I greeted her, using my old nickname for her. "Everything okay?"

Silena managed a weary smile. "For now, Pipes, well besides…this."

"Want to get started on my hair?" I said as charmingly as I could, flashing a warm smile. She momentarily perked up. She had always been beautifying people for fun, no one could pass that as a chore for her.

"Yes! Piper, Frenchie or Fishie?"

"Sorry?"

Silena sighed. "A French braid or a fishtail? Or how about…ooh, I learned a special kind of braided twist while I was at Acidalia, it would look AMAZING on you! We need to impress this Jason, don't we?" Acidalia is the name of the kingdom my Aunt Venus ruled over…huh I hadn't seen them in a while. They were similarly as obsessed with beauty as ours was.

"Don't mention him," I grumbled. "And Sil, calm down!"

Silena's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh of course. But Piper, remember your mother's words. Maybe this won't be so bad! Now, how about that hairstyle?"

I groaned, raking my fingers through my dark chestnut hair, unruly as usual. It had grown out past my shoulders, reaching mid-back. I usually kept it in a simple braid so it wouldn't be a pest when I fought. "Can't we just keep it in a braid, like this?"

Silena looked horrified, waving her hands. "What? Piper, no! That's a _horrible_ idea, dear. I wasn't joking when I said you needed to impress them."

"Fine, then we'll keep it down," I replied. Her tone was odd, as if she had been through the same thing. Had she met Jason?

Her face softened as she pondered. "Hmmm…that doesn't sound so bad. Let's see what I can do." She proceeded to comb the snarls out of my hair, continuing to comb even after all the snarls were out. Her blue eyes were cast on my hair, but I could see the sadness in them in the mirror.

I hadn't realized I'd blanked out until Silena's triumphant sigh jolted me. "Finally! Piper, you're such a beauty."

I stared at my reflection in the mirror. My deep brown hair now cascaded down my back, with strands framing each side of my face delicately. Silena placed a double band of pearls as the finishing touch. It was elegant yet me. Not too over-the-top, not too different. I turned back and grinned goofily at my friend.

"It's perfect. You are a miracle worker, Lena. I never could have done this on my own," I told her sincerely. Silena smiled teasingly.

"Well, you do your thing more than well enough. And after all, what are friends for?" She wrapped me in a warm embrace.

At the back of the room, Lacy cleared her throat. She was beaming, her hazel eyes shining with glee. "Mistress, Princess Pip-"

"Lacy, I told you many times, you can just call me Piper! I don't need the extra flappery." I burst out laughing. Silena giggled warmly along with me as Lacy grinned sheepishly.

"Sure, Piper. Anyway, we found you a dress to start off with." She held a silky bluish-gray gown, embroidered with navy and silver thread. It was long-sleeved. It rippled at the bottom like waves in a lake, swishing gently on the wooden floor of my bedroom. I had to admit, it was beyond beautiful.

"Twenty minutes? You're getting slower, dear Lacy," Silena chastised gently with another of her amazing smiles-warm and kind yet still teasing. "But this dress is beautiful. It will look lovely against your skin tone, Piper," she told me.

I nodded, beaming at Lacy, Silena, and Katie. "Thank you, ladies. I think I'll get dressed now."

I was met with three pairs of wide eyes as Katie's jaw dropped to the floor. "Um, Piper? What about the undergown and the trumpet sleeves? You're not going to just wear that, right?"

I groaned for the umpteenth time this evening, throwing my hands in the air. "The _what_ now?"

Katie smiled sympathetically; going on to say that the trumpet sleeves and their complimentary lining gave the sleeves its extra "oomph", whatever that meant. Apparently the under-gown kept someone from looking too scanty, and was supposed to be thin so the gown wouldn't have too much volume. I took this all in silently, very conscious of the fact all of them were aware why I never learned what these were, things a princess was supposed to know from childhood.

I had left home when I was ten, to learn how to fight and hunt unlike many other princesses who instead were kept at home to be prepped for marriage and other princess duties. It was there where I met my best friends Annabeth, Leo, Thalia, and Percy, and there I stayed for six years, visiting home every summer. Besides fighting, we learned diplomacy, history, politics, and character, all the subjects I would have missed out on if I had stayed at home learning how to be a princess instead. When I came back home last summer, I was immediately made my mother's closest advisor, like my other friends for their respective parents.

I still thanked my mother every night before falling asleep for letting me train, for not listening to her male advisors and keeping me at home.

I came back to the present as Katie still waited for my response. Nodding, I only said, "Pick something simple."

Katie immediately pulled a pale blue linen gown and a set of draped long sleeves which I knew would hide my hands-and my fists. I reluctantly slipped into the items, closing my eyes as the gown tumbled onto me. When I looked back at Katie, she had tears in her eyes.

"Knock him dead, Pipes," she said to me, smiling widely. "And by the way, your bags are ready. They are with Vincent at the door."

"Will do," I replied with a sly, unmerciful smirk. I thought of my two other opponents-uptight, greedy princesses ready to fall over his feet in their determination to win. I, on the other hand, will give him something he has never seen.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two-Jason

AS THE LAST PHEASANT TOPPLED out of the air, its feathers smoking from the heat of gunfire, I turned and wiped the dust off my hands, suppressing a smile. It was the last one in an immense flock today, and I felt pleased yet dissatisfied that it was over so soon.

Hunting was the latest refuge I had found from my father's constant influence. As it grew more frequent, so did my trips to the palace hunting grounds after every court meeting with my advisors, my supposedly abdicated father one of the most outspoken and influential guests/advisors. After every damned consensus to go along with his decision, looking to me only for support, when the only thing I wanted to do was banish him from our usual discussion room where I consulted my other advisors on private affairs.

This had earned me the reputation of being power-hungry, which I must admit to some degree that I am. It would be wrong to deny that I wanted power. In fact, nowadays it was one of the few things I loved, for I could only do so much.

Of course I would be the one damned if I let out a word of any of my true feelings of my father still staying as an honored guest in the palace. Sitting on my throne in silence as my advisors sparred, never making any progress unless my father intervened…let's just say I was not happy anywhere outside the hunting grounds.

I snapped back to attention as Leo, the royal blacksmith, whooped in glee beside me. "That was the best one today, Jase. Today must be pretty fine for our royal Highness, right? Hunting spoils, three fine ladies for you to meet…"

I grinned widely at my best friend. "Yes, well, things have been pretty fine lately."

Ah, the three ladies. Another one of my father's cursed decisions. I wondered if Leo could make out the obvious lie in my words. He has known me for years.

"You know who they are?" Leo asked me. I shook my head, rolling my eyes in anger.

"Father probably asked my advisors for a list of the best women, I suppose." Leo frowned at the bitter edge in my tone.

"What's so bad about that? I thought you people had to marry out of duty and all that. And don't you have a thing for pretty ladies?"

"I guess I just want to find someone on my own." Without my father's help. By now I was desperate to change the subject. "How are things with Khione, my friend?"

I smirked as Leo's cheeks reddened. He turned back at me with a smirk of his own, his mocha brown eyes alight with mischief.

"Oh turning the tables on me, aren't we? Well, my friend, Khione is still one of the most attractive girls in all the five kingdoms combined, and she has shown some interest in me, for that matter, I'll have you know."

I chuckled, leaning back against the marble balcony railings. I came here often, usually after another frustrating meeting with my advisors. It gave the greatest view of Caelestis-my land-which I never could step on despite the fact that I ruled over it. Another one of the many reasons why I resented my father more and more these days.

As I gazed towards the snow-capped mountains clouded in fog, towering over the smooth, sloping hills, my heart warmed with something strange, a feeling I couldn't quite put my finger on. I gazed at the tiny, ant-like figures of villagers making their way down the hills, carrying baskets of produce towards the markets I would never visit. The homes I wouldn't ever pass by. In the end, it made me more sad than angry. I ruled over a land where my people only saw me as a stranger, someone who they knew existed but just rarely saw. I couldn't even count on having my wishes for the people heard by the rest of my advisors.

Leo, like me, was also staring at the land, his usually animated face now unreadable.

Finally, I sighed and nudged him. "We should get back to the palace, man."

"I hear you. I want to see those ladies. Who knows, maybe one of them will be head over heels for me." He let out a booming laugh as I groaned, putting my head in my hands as we headed back to our horses to go back to the palace, with the slight queasiness I had been feeling since morning returning.

As we approached the palace, the queasiness in my stomach grew heavier, as if thousands of butterflies were flickering within me. I assured myself this was nothing I had to worry about. Unlike other men who were reduced to emotional, flustered, blushing beings at the sight of beautiful women, I had early learned to make myself a magnet for them, charming them swiftly and seductively. They responded only too eagerly, even when I wasn't trying to do so. And then it was the usual.

Notably, it was one of the aspects of my personality which my father most hated. Which of course made me do it even more.

But then they had only been lightning-quick affairs, nothing ever ending up in marriage or even relationships. Maybe that's why I was so nervous.

Leo took off as soon as we reached the doors of the courtroom, slapping my hand. "I better see to the rest of the projects. Later, Jason." His eyes glinted. "And you better tell me all about it!"

I visibly shuddered, replying, "Yes, of course, royal blacksmith."

A heavily armored guard stood at each side of the burnished golden doors of my throne room, bowing once they saw me approaching.

"Your Highness, your father is presently inside with the three princesses," the guard on the left, Dakota, told me. I nodded to him, my face hardening.

"Thank you, Dakota." He nodded, opening the heavy golden doors and immediately exiting afterwards. I inwardly sighed.

The former King Jupiter of Caelestis smiled coldly at me, his eyes possessing the familiar glint of ruthlessness which existed ever since he took the throne. It still hadn't left, now that he was still controlling the one sitting on the throne.

He waved his hand towards the three young women standing near him, who were gazing at me intently.

"Jason, my boy, you can finally say you have the best father," he said, smiling.

"And for what reason?" I replied icily.

"In no other life would your father arrange to have the loveliest princesses, with more than enough wealth to boot, compete over your hand in marriage. You, my boy, are pitifully ignorant of your blessing at just being my son. But princesses, introduce yourselves, what are you waiting for?"

I glared at him, and stepped back to view them. He wasn't wrong about them being lovely, that was for sure. I still writhed in anger from his comment but my shoulders relaxed as I observed them.

The first princess had creamy, pale skin; her eyes a warm brown and heavily lined with paint. Her eyelashes, long and thick, were batting at me as she smoothed her black curls which reached mid-back. Every part of her radiated glamor, with her plump lips a bright red. The princess's gown was layered and ruffled, with each silk fold a different shade of pink and cinched tight at her waist. Her arms where clad with golden, jeweled bracelets. She smiled flirtatiously at me, her eyes filled with lust as she scanned me. I winked at her, flexing my arm as I smiled back flirtatiously, causing her to smile triumphantly.

If only she knew, I thought, shaking my head.

"I am Princess Drew, Your Highness King Jason of Caelestis. I am the daughter of Queen Venus." She curtsied, stepping closer to me. I nodded, my eyes on the second princess.

She, like Drew, was evidently trying to prove to me that she was royal, as if I was pitifully ignorant of the fact that she was royalty too. Her heavily layered gown was a brilliant silver, as if it was hammered out of silver itself, a possibility which wasn't very surprising. Her black hair was straight and silky, with curled layers falling at both sides of her neck. Golden drops bordered with blood red gems dangled at her ears. Her lips were plum-red against her pale olive skin, and her obsidian eyes as cold as my father's (or mine, Leo would have joked). She glared at Drew menacingly as she continued to stare at me.

"Princess Reyna, daughter of Queen Bellona. I hail from the kingdom of Enyo." She curtsied, smiling at me adoringly. "Your Highness." I smiled back, raking my fingers through my blond hair, causing her to blush. I smirked.

Wasn't she allied with our kingdom? In ordinary circumstances I would have been betrothed to her, if not for my father's other plans. I didn't know what to make of Reyna though, except for the fact that she was attractive and rather intimidating. But she was as usual to me as my father's habit of leaving me out of private discussions, the type of princess I would have seen at balls like Drew, and I could usually count on seeing at many more court occasions afterwards.

In fact, her face was rather familiar. Maybe we had met at a ball indeed.

And the last princess…I stopped short, dumbstruck. She was dressed the simplest out of all three of them, wearing a bluish-gray and cream-colored gown which rippled like waves in the sea, her hands hidden by the draped long sleeves of the gown. Her only accessory was a short silver necklace, its seashell pendant resting a little lower than the base of her neck. She didn't bother to do anything with her dark brown hair, letting it cascade down her shoulders. And her eyes….I had never seen anything like those. Deadly serious yet genuinely empathetic, they rapidly changed from green to sky blue (like mine) to hazel, making me dizzy. She, thankfully, was not as pale as the others, her skin naturally tan and glowing. And to top everything off, she looked like this was the last place where she wanted to be.

How charming. I was starting to like her, even if it was out of grudging admiration of her zero hesitance to pretend to be loving this situation. At least she wasn't pretending for my sake, like Drew and Reyna probably were-how could they like the greedy, disgusting glances the couriers were sending them? How could they like the freezing throne room, the even colder smile of my father as he reclined on the throne next to mine, meant for the queen?

She did not smile as she curtsied, albeit reluctantly. Looking back at me, she said politely, "Princess Piper of Cythera. I'm the daughter of Queen Aphrodite, Your Highness."

A few couriers gasped. Hearing the name, Drew hissed, her warm brown eyes suddenly very cold. Reyna only smirked, her eyes sending a clear message- _this one's no threat._

Cythera has been our enemy ever since I was born. Why on earth would my father think of inviting her, of all people? I tensed, looking at my father. Despite my hate of the shallow, beauty-obsessed people which I had heard resided in Cythera, I could sense that Piper was something different. She could afford dresses made out of hammered gold and all the jeweled bangles in the world...yet she looked so starkly different from the other princesses. She was so different from her mother, even at first glance. I turned away from Piper, avoiding her just so _damn beautiful_ eyes.

I swallowed. This was not how I was supposed to feel. We weren't supposed to be friends, let alone in a relationship. This was enemy territory for her. But my heart clenched in pain, as if a giant fist pounded on it.

"Father, won't you explain how it works?"

My father smiled tightly, his eyes now sympathetic. Even worse.

"The girl understands. The spawn of the least intimidating queen near us, who thrives on love and beauty, understands, and yet you don't? How interesting Jason, though I recall that you weren't made king for your intel-"

I noticed Piper clenching her fists, which unfortunately remained hidden under her draped sleeves. Her face was tight with anger, and her eyes showed her deep hurt, though she tried to hide it. My heart surprisingly clenched, though it was more out of anger than pity for her. I was tired of getting insulted like this.

"Enough, Father," I cut him off harshly.

I glanced directly at Dakota, who was standing still, shivering. Out of fear or the unbearable cold, I did not know. "Summon their personal servants to take them to their chambers. It is getting late," I ordered with a dismissive tone.

He nodded wordlessly, racing out of the room. Within a moment, three handmaidens arrived, whisking each of them off to their rooms. Soon it was just my father and I in the throne room. He gazed at me, stunned by my outburst.

Before I turned to leave, I stared at him pointedly. "You are not king anymore, Father. You have no business interfering in my decisions, even if you are still my father, and you have no business here. If you will continue to do this, then maybe you should wonder why you even abdicated in the first place, when you're still strong enough to give orders to my council and take daily walks. And save your insults for our private discussions, or must I say, your _advisors_." I spat the last part out, storming out of the room.

It was times like these when I missed my elder sister, Thalia, more than ever. I finally understood why she had left home once I reached my teens, seeing the influence of my father and my advisors. The warm rooms had suddenly become as cold as my stepmother Juno, who my father had married when I turned four and Thalia eleven. They argued incessantly, until my father sent Thalia off to train under one of his old friends, Chiron. She was the only one who told me the truth about our family, on one of our last days together when I was seven.

It had been snowing heavily that day, the hills which Leo and I stared at today covered in white. Snowflakes fell on our noses, and Thalia leaned over, playfully popping a snowflake in front of my nose as I laughed in amazement.

"I'm going to miss you, little brother," she told me, a wistful look of longing in her electric blue eyes, the same color as mine.

"Why? Where are you going?" I asked, confused.

"Father is sending me away to train."

I stared at her, trying to find out if she was joking. "He wouldn't."

"It's better than staying here, Jason." She stared at her hands, pale and cold after touching the snowflake.

I stared at her unhappily. "What do you mean?"

Thalia sighed. "You're so small right now, I don't want to ruin your innocence here with these words. But Jason, do me a favor, alright?"

"Yes, Thalia." My voice shook.

She stared at me intently, her eyes deadly serious. "Jason, you will be alone all these years. Don't become like Father-too much power can separate you from your own family. It has certainly broken ours up." Her eyes were filled with bitterness, the same bitterness surging through me now.

With that, she got up and left the balcony, putting a hand on my shoulder before leaving. A few days later, she left home to train, and I didn't see her until the next winter.

By the time my flashback ended, I was in my own bedroom, staring at the wall dejectedly.

It didn't matter how many times I would tell Father to mind his business. He would never do so. The thought that he still had so much respect, so much power even as a father of the king…..it scared me to death no matter how much I wanted to convince myself and others I was scared of nothing. I shuddered at the thought of asking for help, yet now all I wanted was for someone to listen.

I was so lost in my thoughts I hadn't even heard Leo opening the door just a crack. He was one of the few who could do it-anyone else would have literally been put in a cell.

"Am I invited?" he asked softly, his eyes glimmering with humor.

I lifted my head and managed a weak smile. "Yes, but I may doze off soon. Just as a warning."

Leo's eyes widened in horror. "Ah, no way I will let you get your drool on my magnificently ironed pants, no matter how royal it may be, Your Highness Mister Grace." He wiggled his eyebrows, and I laughed.

He was the main reason I had still stayed sane all these years, when I look back. "Alright, Leo, come in." I paused, sending him a fake smirk. "We've got a lot to talk about."


End file.
